Art of removing varnish and enamel coatings



EARL c. rams, or SOUTH-BEND, INDIANA.

l 'atentedv Jam 7, 1930 TION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

Assmnon TO THE STUDEBAKER ,conrom- A conronn'rron or new .mnsnr ART OF REMOYING'VARNISH ANlD ENAMEL COATINGS No Drawing.

My invention relates to .the removalof: coatings of. enamel, varnish and the like m which the binder or body consists in whole or in part of an' oxidizing or drying oilsuch as linseed oil. It is of particular value for the removal of baked enamel such as employed upon automobile bodies, fenders, etc. 'Such baked enamels are very hard and diflicultto remove from the metal surfaces to which they are applied as compared to varnishes whlch are dried at ordinary temperatures, and ordinary varnish solvents are not satisfactory for their. removaL, Prior to the present invention, therefore, it has been usual to employ for the removal of baked'enamel, caustic alkali solutions. But alkali solutions as commonly employed require several hours for the removal of the enamel, are inconvenient to handle and have other disadvantages -which need not here be described. The varnish and enamel: remover whlch forms the subject matter of the presentspecification effects the loosening of the enamel on the metal to which it has been applied-in a relatively short space of time'so that it may readily be washed off with water' a and is easy to handle and apply. My invention is based more particularly on the discovery that the chlorine or chlorinated derivatives of acetic acid have a very active solvent or dismtegrating effect upon varnishes-in which a drying oil is used and parthat 'monochloracetic acid, dichloracetic acid or trichloracetic acid may be used with satisfactory results, though the first-mentioned has the advantage over the other two in that 1t is ,cheaper. Manifestly, also, any materials may be used which when brought together in the remover composition form such chlorine substitution products of acetic acid. Furthermore, mixtures of the substitution roducts of acetic acid may be used with satisactory results.

The chloracetic acid may be applied to the varnish, paint or enamelto be-removed, as

a liquid in any suitable solvent. A solvent which I have found satisfactory is alcohol.

I have also found dichlorbenzol a satisfac Application filed February 23, 1926. Serial No. 90,208.

products of acetic" acid in this connection, it

having the additional advantage of having a marked solvent or disintegrating effect upon the varnish or enamel, thus aiding the action of the chlorinated acetic acid. Other solvents, however, might be used either alone or in admixture with those specified or either of them. Preferably'I employ both alcohol and dichlorbenzol as solvents for the chlorine substitution products of acetic acid. Advantageous results may be obtained within a wide range of proportion's'of the mixture.

Preferably, however, the dichlorbenzol will I constitute more than half of the mixture, alcohol may constitute. approximately a quarter thereof and the chlorinated acetic acid the remainder. I have found the fol lowing formulas satisfactory:

The; activity of the remover may be increased if desired by additional quantities of thereto, naturally, renders the material more ticularly upon baked enamel. I have found volatile and this is particularly true of the alcohol, the dichlorbenzol having a lower vaporj pressure and a higher boiling point.

compound to the enamel for a period which Perc nt Dichloracetic acid e Alcohol 25 Dichlorbenzol .65

'Monochlora'cetic acid 5 Alcohol 25 Dichlorbenzol 70 depends .upon the conditions above set forth but may be as short as five minutes, the enamel may be washed ofi from the metal very readily, the washing operation being assisted by mechanical means, if desired.

What I claim is 5o tory solvent for the chlorine substitution 1. A varnish and enamel remover con- Wherevery rapid action is desired, how- 2 q I e 1,742,347

' taining a chloracetic acid and dichlorbenzol.

2. A varnish and enamel remover comprising a chloracetic acid, dichlorbenzol and alcohol.

3. A varnish and enamel remover comprisingapproxiinately per cent of a chloracetic acid and between 50 and 70 percent of dichlorbenzol.

l. A varnish and enamel remover com- 10 prising approximately 10 per cent dichloracctic acid and between 50 and 70 per cent of dichlorbenzol.

5. A varnish and enamel remover comprising approximately 10 per cent dichloracetic acid, 25 per cent alcohol, and 65 per cent dichlorbenzol.

Signed by me at South Bend, Indiana, U. S. A.,.this 16th day of February, 1926.

EARL C. FRIES. 

